David M. Primes, MSA, CPA.CITP

David Primes has had more on his plate than assisting SPS clients for the past 30 years. The SoCal native is known for his long reach into the local non-profit and educational communities.

Take, for example, David’s 15-year commitment to Friends of the Observatory. Griffith Observatory is a Los Angeles icon and strong community centerpiece for scientific learning, education and astronomy.

“I’ve loved the Observatory since I was a kid growing up in the area,” says David, a self-described “science nerd.”

Small wonder, then, that his first position on the Friend’s board was that of treasurer, transitioning into Board President.

David served on the National Kidney Foundation and California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA) boards. David is quite dedicated to educating future accountants. He spent a year toiling nights and weekends to earn his Master of Science in Accounting degree so he could teach budding CPAs at California State University, Northridge.

David’s educational goal was a long time coming. He graduated with a master’s degree in 2012, exactly 40 years to the day after he received a bachelor’s degree from Northridge. “My students appreciate my 35 years of accounting experience,” he says. “I enjoy teaching because it allows me to impact those considering going into accounting.”

Altruism, for David, is a guiding force. “I’ve been successful in my field and have an internal need to give something back,” he says.

At SPS David balances full client responsibilities with his role as the firm’s technology leader. Indeed, under his guidance, David has established SPS as one of the region's leaders in the area of accounting technology.